The present invention relates to a control apparatus for marine engine, more particularly, to a single lever type apparatus for controlling an engine of a small boat, ship or vessel.
Single lever type control apparatus such as the type of control apparatus shown in FIGS. 8-11 are conventionally mounted by a user on a side board of the boat, ship or vessel.
Such apparatus 51 shown in FIG. 8 conventionally comprises a main body 52 installed in the back side of the hull board A, a set block 53, having a half-cylindrical-shaped neutral block 56, installed in the front, or cabin side, a cover 54 and an operating lever 55.
The main body 52 is connected with the set block 53 by means of an installing member 52a through an opening of the hull board A. The main body 52 is connected with the operating lever 55 by means of a shaft 52b projected from the center of member 52a in such a manner that the shaft 52b penetrates the set block 53 through a hole 53a therein.
The hull board A is provided with set block 53 fixed to hull board A bolts and the like.
Set block 53 is provided with cover 54 in such a manner that the operating lever side face is covered with the cover 54.
Another apparatus of the conventional type employs the set block 61 shown in FIG. 9. The set block 61 has a plurality of installing holes 62 arranged radially. The main body 52 is connected with the set block 61 in such a manner as to be rotated relative to set block 61.
Another conventional arrangement is shown in FIG. 10, wherein the main body 71 is integratedly combined with the set block 72. The main body 71 and the set block 72 are arranged in the back side of the hull board B by means of the installing bolt and the like which inserts into a bolt hole from the front side of the hull board B. The shaft 74, projected from the main body 71, is connected with the operating lever 75 on the front side through the opening of the hull board B. Set block 72 is provided with a cover 76, having two parts in such a manner that the shaft is sandwiched between such two parts by means of a projection 77 for installing the cover 76 from the front side of the hull board B.
Another conventional apparatus 81, as shown in FIG. 11 comprises a main body 82 arranged in the back side of the hull board A, set block 83 arranged in the front or operator side of the hull board A, the cover 84 and the operating lever 85.
The main body 82 is connected with the set block 83 by means of the installing member 82a of the main body 82 through the opening of the hull board A. The main body 82 is connected with the operating lever 53 by means of a shaft 82b which is projected from the center of the installing member 82a in such a manner the shaft 82b penetrates the set block 83 through the hole 83a.
The set block 83 is formed into a half-cylindrical-shaped neutral block 86 integratedly in half of peripheral zone of the hole 3a.
In the middle of outer peripheral zone, the neutral block 86 is formed into an approximately rectangular recessed portion 87 for locking the operating lever 85 by virtue of engaging with the operating lever 85.
The hull board A is provided with the apparatus by virtue of installing eh set block 83 on the hull board A by means of installing bolts.
Set block 83 is provided with cover 84 in such a manner that the operating lever 85 side face of block 83 is covered with the cover 84.
The main body 52, in the conventional embodiment of FIG. 8 and the set block 53 are installed in such a manner that the hull board A is sandwiched between the main body 52 and the set block 53. The shaft 52b, which is projected on the hull board in the fore side, must be connected with the operating lever 55 after the shaft 52b of the main body 52 is inserted into the opening the hull board A and the shaft 52b inserts into the set block 52. Accordingly, the apparatus 51 of the conventional embodiment of the FIG. 8 cannot be installed on the hull board B in such a state that the main body 52 is integratedly combined with the operating lever 55.
It is very troublesome to install the apparatus 51 on the hull board A because connecting the main body 52 with the operating lever 55 is performed, together with a job such as installing a warm-up button, after the hull board A is provided with the main body 52.
The apparatus 51 cannot be installed in such a state that the main body 52 can be rotated relative to the set block 53, in other words, in such a state that the main body 52 can be rotated relative to the hull board A. Accordingly, an installation position is limited. That is to say, the installation position of the main body 52 cannot be changed even if the installation position is desired to change under such a circumstance as a space for the main body in the back side of the hull board A, a space for arranging a control cable. Thus, in installation, the apparatus 51 has a low degree of freedom.
In the conventional type apparatus with set block 61, FIG. 9, set block 61 is radially arranged around the periphery of the hole 53A. Thus, the main body 52 can be installed in such a manner that the main body 52 is rotated relative to the set block 61. However, such apparatus cannot be installed after the main body 52 is once combined with the operation lever 55 integratedly.
In the conventional apparatus with operating lever 75 because operating lever 75 can be passed through the opening of the hull board B, such conventional apparatus can be installed after the main body 71 is combined with the operating lever 75. However, the main body 71 cannot be attached to hull board B in such a manner that the main body 71 is rotated relative to the hull board B.
In the conventional apparatus 81, the main body 82 can be connected with the set block 83 in such a manner that the main body 82 is rotated relative to the hull board A. In order to change the installation position by rotating the main body 82, it is necessary to rotate the main body 82, together with the set block 83 and then fix the main body 82 on the hull board A after the hull board is newly formed with holes for bolting. It is impossible or very troublesome to so fix the main body 82 on hull board A. Even if the installation position of the main body is changed, a neutral position of the operating lever 85 is also limited to the rotated position because the neutral block 86 is integratedly combined with the set block 83. Accordingly, the operating lever 85 is located in such a position as not to be changed.
An object of the present invention is to resolve the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide such a control apparatus that the apparatus can be installed on the hull board after the main body is integratedly combined with the operating lever, the installation position can be easily regulated by rotating the main body, and the neutral position of the operating lever can be selected at will.